Tube-expander.



T. J. mxom.

TUBE EXPANDER. APPLICAIIOH FILED' APR-2, m2.

1,269,68. Patented June 18, 1918.

' I! SHEETS-SHEET I. B

INVENTOR flamaaczzixom.

T11. mxow. vTUBE EXPANDER. APPLICATION FILED APYLZ. 19I7.

1 26 9, 688 Patented June 18, 1918.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VENTOR llzqmamlflixon.

T. I. DIXON. TUBE EXPANDER.

' APPLICATION FILED APR-2| I9I7- 11,269,688. Patented June 18, 1918.

a SHEETSSHEET 3.

wi gli- INVENTOR a f wwaawv fflmmm m m DI O Q neelsea s sm- TUBE-EXPANDER.

T0 allwtho m it may concern:

ment of the character-stated in'whiehlthe' cooperating parts are so designed ,and .haye

I such ad] ustment whereby. the. said tool; ,or

implement is rendered capable of expanding boiler tubes of ditferent diameters of standardg-sizes under .all the varying conditions thatcome u when putting-in the tubes, particularly ,w en the tube holes in the flue sheet vary in .size, .which frequently oc curs when. retubing -boilers, and also when the tubesvary in their .lengthsoutside ofthe flue sheet. Ag'ain, my invention ,has for its purpose to Provide a tube expander. that includes in its make-up, an improved arrangement of parts that'render the m andrel self-feeding, that is drawing it forwardly into the tube as it is, rotated,., and thereby obviate the necessity of .driving the mandrel-longitudinally for contacting with the expandinggrol lers.

Anothe'rand essential feature of my, invention lies inan improved ,meanswtor. holding theexpanding .rollers from fallino out of .placeand to provide for conveniently. removing them, singly from the .body or shell. In its morecomplete nature, my invention embodies certain improved means forholdingthe expanding rollers in. their operative condition, and at the same-time avoid the use of .outside shoulders or stops for. limiting the radial adjustment or set of the said rollers, and thereby providea greater radius of expansion, than has, .so far as I know,

;st'ruction..o'f my tube expander, this invention, in. itsmore subordinate-j features, convsist's in thepeculiar; combination .and ;novjel arrangement. of v the merit yherelnafier ex.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 18, 1918. i Application fi1ed. Apri1;2, 19 17. ..S.e1f ia 11 1'o..1 59,158.

plained, specifically. pointed. out in. the .ap-

pended claims and. illustratedin theaccompanying drawings, in. which:

Figure, 1 isa perspective view of my improved tube expanderand it illustrates the preferred form. V

Flg. .2 is ,avertical longitudinal section thereof,.and showing it as operatively applied in a tube, the rollersbeing indicated. at a relatively minimum expanding position.

.Fig. isaside eleyation of theexpander,

.in a; tube, .one ot the. rollersbeing. indicated at. a relatively maximum. expanding position in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic face view, ofth .frontend of my expander, theflue sheet, the

correlation of thesaid front :end withthe adjacent tubes being alSO shown.

Fig, 5 isa transverse-section of. my. improved tube expander taken on the line 55 on Fig. .2.

Fig. 6..is a similar view, on the line. 6-.6 on Fig.2. I

igFig. 7 7s a perspective. view of oneofthe expanding rollers, the holder therefor, and

theresilient. support'for the holder.

Fig.8 is a detailv-iewot the mandrel or ee eml erp F1g 9 is .a perspective view of the spring clamp device used when removing the roll- .ers-fromthe holder or body member.

' Fig. lOisadetail view that illustrates the manner that. the spring clamp ;device shown in Fig. 9. is used. I

Fig. 11; is a rdetail longitudinal. section of a modified form of the body and collar,,here

inafter mentioned.

Fig. 12 illustrates an arrangement of parts whereby the guard members are held in place by the bearing boxes.

Fig. 13 is a :detail of aoonstruotion ,of

the bearing ring segments.

Fig.,l4 is a detail viewof the mandrel used toexpand tubes larger than can be expanded with the .usual mandrel.

-. Fig. 15 is a deta'ilplan oftheexpander shell and which clearly illustrates the,slotway fore-the expanding rollers and bearin boxes. I Y 1 1.6. 1S- 'a detailplan .ottha-rolhnand spring clip held bearing boxes that cooperate therewith.

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic plan illustrat ing the cooperative relation of the roller and the mandrel.

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is an end elevation illustrating the manner in which the spring clips are turned out of engagement with the expander shell.

In the drawings, I have shown an improved construction of tube expander whose parts. are cooperatively designed for expanding five normal standard sizes of tubes, or any intermediate size that may come within the limits of the said five sizes.

1 designates a tapered mandrel which, when forced in between the expanding'rollers, 2, serves to radially project the said rollers 2 to their tube expanding position.

The outer end of the mandrel is shaped for receiving the crank or other driving means.

3 designates a tubular body or shell that has a plurality, (preferably three) radially straight slots 1 into which the expanding rollers 2 are received as will presently be fully explained.

Each roller 2 has .a center bearing 5' at each end and the said bearings 5 fit into corresponding bearing boxes 6-6, each of which has a socket 7 (see Fig. 2). The boxes 6--6 are freely slidable in the slots 4, and each box 6 has grooves 88 in the opposite sides thereof for receiving and clamping the edges. 9090 of U shaped spring clamps 91-91 formed on a flat spring holder 9 that extends lengthwise of the slots 4 and the rollers 2 contained there in, and each of the holders 9 has alongitudinal slot 92 through which themandrel engaging faces of the rollers2 are projected, as is best shown in Figs. 5 and 7, by reference to which it will be also seen the spring holder 9 has its opposite ends projected beyond the slots 4 in the shell and seat in longitudinal grooves 1010 on the internal face of the said shell or tubular body 3.

By providing a holding means for the rollers 2, as shown and described, the saidrollers are at all times, by the resilient tension of the holders 9, drawn inwardly to their normal position, see Fig. 2, and are held from falling out by reason of the socketed bearing 6 being held from falling out of the slots 4 by the clamps 90-91, it being apparent from the drawings that as the mandrel is rotated and feeds forwardly in the manner presently explained, to expand the rollers 2, the spring holders 9 flatten with the ends sliding outwardly in their respective grooves 10 in the body 3.

At this point, a should be mentioned,

that by reason of mounting the expanding rollers 2, as stated and shown, no external shoulders or stops, such as are usually necessary in the general run of expanders, are required, and as the rollers are attached to resilient holding elements secured to the inner side of the body and which tend to normally pull the rollers inwardly, as pres sure is applied to expand the rollers, the said rollers can be projected to a greater radiusthan is possible in expanders having external shoulders or kindred devices for limiting the outward movement of the said rollers. 1

Another advantage in the use of the spring holder for the roller, as stated, is that it retains the end socket bearings on the rollers, when for any reason the rollers must be taken outof the body of the tool, thereby at all times keeping the rollers from falling out, and also at all times keep the rollers against the mandrel when the latter is in the body of the tool.

Ashefore stated, my tube expander is of that type in whichthe mandrel, as'it is r0- tated, is automatically fed forwardly it being understood that the shell or holder and the expanding rollers are held in a fixedrelation with respect to the tube, that is from moving forwardly along the tube, by reason of the guard member 12, presently again referred to, hearing against the outsideof the fine sheet, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In my construction of expander, when it is operatively applied, there is a tendency of the holder or shell and the rollers to feed forwardly, such action being produced by the manner in which the rollers 22 are mounted on the holder.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. l5, 16, 17 and 18 of the drawings, it will be noticed that the slots 4: in the holder have their central portions arranged in a plane '55 that project in the longitudinal axis of the rollers.

By mounting the rollers 2, as stated and shown, the said rollers, as they are forced out against the tube, engage the tube in such manner, that there is a constant tendency for the rollers to creep forwardly within the tube, and since any forward 'movement of the rollers 2 and the holder 3 ispre'vente'd ,by the guard 12 holding back the holder and the rollers, and further since the positioning of the said rollers '2 pre- 'v-ides forthesai'd rollers -engagi1 1g the mandr'el" at "one point -""onlyat the transverse "ice-nterof the roller as indicated by "a-'-a="on Figsi-l'? and 18', it'foll'ows' that ascrew'feed action from the *rollers' 'to'the mandrel is ithereby produced-that tends to eonstantly force the mandrel forwardly, see arrow 3 -1' Figs 17 i and j 18,- and thus provide for the self-feeding"operation for the; mandrel, as

: 11 designates a 1 collar and 12" the 'iguard member before referredto and" both' are I'IIi0V? bly'-?m0iIlItBd 'OIi the outenend ofthe 7 body 3; the 's'aidonter end'of the body being i 15. tapered as' at to hold the collar-from 1 wpa'ssing-'over-sueh-"end as it is=s11ppd bnto 'x 'the'body "and" slid along su'c'h body*in" the 'directionofthe' arrow onfFig. 2." V

Guard" 12;" which is likew ise "slid endwise 2 o"-onto the- 'b ody 3, includes r finger like p ori tions13"that' 'proj'ect"ovrtheendofthe "tubel l to be expandedand-form a bearing for' engaging the'flue'sheet' 15.

*To provide for" smooth and "e'asy rota- 25 tion of the body 3 with itsexpandingele- '"Inents',*a pl'urality "of-conical rollerbeatings 19-are carried on the-inner' fateof the collar -tlrat'engage"the outer ndof the guiaird Rollers 19- inay'be applied to the'ooll'ar' ll min any' 'suitable'manner. 1

v i 'Inthe 'drawings, "I have shown" th'ejcollar formed'with an" annular groove 11 in which *the'rollers are received, tator holding the rollersin pro er operative'vposition, they ashavedreadeds sinks-19which,"whenfitting therollersin placey are slibped through a correspondingly='-shaped' slot 11 in the rim portion 11"ofthe collar, see FigsL'Q'and 6, and to" 'hold"the' rollers tothe"desire d i posi- 401 'tions spacing ring segments 80 are-'previded thatfit' i'n'to"operatiye engageirient with the collar the rollers, as shown. 'Tosecure"the collar iiin operative 'posi tion onthe body 3,suitable'springolipdevices are Inount'edthereon, asis best' shown "in 'Eigs. 1,2 and 19, from which'it'will be seen the'spr'ing clips' 65 seciired to the'eollar "have their outerends forined with'sna'p clips "66 66" that "engage the outer face of "the Collar and-a'clip 67 'thatinterlockswitkthe outer tapered end ofthe body 3,"the said end having a 'cam'* groove 68 so arranged that in tnrningthe'collarand the holder 3' ino'ppositeclirection, as indicated by the arrfowsin I ""Fig. 19, the locking clip m mbers '67 iinlooks from" the b'ody 351 and thereby permits" pulling thec'ollar 11 (an.

22- "designates a spring clamp; "the i construction of which is best shown iiifFi'gs. 9 GO and- 10. 'This clamp ispus'iia'lly carried on the larger ehds "of the rnandrel'and is 'ii's'ed 'onlywhen it 'isdesiredto' ieiho e the rollers 1 2,- which sedans by' 'spreadingfthe ns-[1p with its-ed'ges 23 w straddle ever "the adjacent by power 'mechanisinand" it ni'aybe 'l'nade to {expand any size tube from 1%"inches to="and *including'2-l inoh tubes.

V. *WhilegI prefer to operate "my expainder "under a, self fe'eding actionJI desire itunderstood that it may be operated by'driving the man'drel'byhand;- it desired, in'stea'd of mak 'ingthe inandr'el 'a -long continuously tapered asshown'in Figs. 8'and 14, {"F mm? the foregoing-"description'taken 'in connection with the drawingsthe 'co'mp'lete "one,'"it'1nay be made of two 'in'embers tapered eonstructiom the manner of iisingand the ad- *vantage of'n'iy tube expander iwill'bereadily' 1 apparent to those skilled'in the to which this invention relates. e

Among other advantages, it should be stated,"th'at the construetionof my expander issu'ch that the rollers can be expanded or 'set outto a greaterradius than is possible v "with other 'e'xpandersnow in use of corresponding size, enabling me, with my" 'eX- pander to expand'tu'besof all "standard sizes,

5 which is accomplishedby having a larger bore' in'the eenter' of the body S'thatadmits of usin amandreimemberof greatervariations' in- 'diameter between the sfmall'fend "and the-large end,-the1;eb -makin 'it'possible to expand a greatervarietyof sizes or diameters "of tubes than can," so faras I know, be done ""by anyother-expander. I I

"In-my constriietion of expander, frictional ""cont'a'ctbf the operatingpartsis reduced to the minimum, this beingprovided for by the mounting of the expanding rollers s'o'that "they do not eontact with the sides of theslots in Whi'Ch they workmn'd forming them with "oenterand socket bearings.

'Kgain', in" my construction, On acbOHntbf f the'socket bearing members fitting closely in the body slots," i t is inipossibleforthe body 0f the holder to shift its position when in' use. *The socket-5 bearings do not touch inside as the sooketbearings fit closely-in the slots,

they 'liold the body ofthe' expander oneeiiter 'a'tall'tinies. I

Whfleipmfw to inake'the collar Has a *separate member, itfiria'yibe forined i geg w -f with thef'body? 3,: as shown 'in Fig. ..11, '-which :also shows? a means for holding "the: guard ---ii'ieinber iip agaiiist the eo1lar. H I

By referring to Figs. 2, 7 and 12, itwillbe the tube at any-staged the operation and seen that the outermost members 6 have projecting lips 21 so arranged that the guard 12, when slipped onto the body 3, engages the said lips and rocks and depresses the said members 6 at that end, to allow the guard to slip over the lip 21, it being understood that when the guard has passed the lip 21, the 1 spring tension on the roller holder 9 forces the lip up into the position shown in vdotted lines on Fig. 12, which then serves as a stop for holding .the guard 12 up to the collar.

I desire itunderstood, however, that I do not limit myself to the use of lips 21 on the members 6 for holding the guardup to the collar, since any other means may be employed for holding the guard and the collar in close connection.

While the general arrangement of the parts shown and described present a practical and efficient construction of my improved tube expander, I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction and arrangement of the parts shown, since they may be varied or modified to suit the particular requirement withoutdeparting from the invention as expressed in the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a tube expander in which is included a tubular body having a plurality of longitudinally extended radial slots; an ex panding roller for each slot, a spring plate holder for. each roller, a bearing member fixedly mounted on each end of the holder, the said bearing members slidably engaging the radial slots, the roller having end journals that engage the bearings, the ends of the said holder having extensions for engaging the inner surface ofthe tubular body, the said spring plate holder, the bearing and the roller being bodily endwise insertible into and removable from the tubular body, to and from the operative position and adapted, when placed in operative position, to hold the rollers at their innermost position and further adapted, when a tapering mandrel is inserted between the rollers to permit radial adjustment of such rollers.

2. A tube expander comprising a tubular body having one or more longitudinally extended radial slots and a collar at one end, an expanding roller holder located in each slot, each holder consisting of a resilient body, an expanding roller mounted on each.

holder and normally pulled inwardly, under tension of the said roller holder, the said.

holder including end. bearings for the roller, a flue sheet engaging guard, the said.

the roller end bearings and the guard for locking the guard. against the aforesaid collar.

3. A tube expander comprising a tubular body having one or more longitudinally extended radial slots; each slot having a nar rowed extension at each end, a fluev sheet engaging member on the outer end of the said tubular body, an expanding roller holder located in each slot and including end portions for engagingthe end extensions of the slots, an expanding roller mounted on the holder and means for normally forcing the holder inwardly under tension, the said holder, the roller and the tension means being insertible and removable as a unit into and from the tubular body, the said holder consisting of end bearing boxes having members for slidably engaging the end extensions of the radial slots and a flat spring member that constitutes the'aforesaid tension means having a longitudinal slot through which the innerface of the roller projects, and end portions that embrace and secure the end bearing boxes and end extensions that engagethe inner face of the tubular body when the parts are in the operative position.

4. In a tube expander of the character stated, a tubular body having a plurality of radial slots, each including a main portion diagonally disposed relatively to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body and staggeredly disposed-opposite end portions projected in the. longitudinal plane of the said tubular body, the said end portions including narrowed extensions, and an expanding roller located in the diagonal por-- tion of the slots, each of the said rollers having a center stud journal at each end, a holder for each end of the rollers, the said holders each consisting of a bearing box slidably mounted in the longitudinally ex .the bearing boxes and the rollers mounted thereon inwardly and a tapered mandrel projected in the said tubular body between and engaging the inner adjacent edges of the rollers.

5. In a tube expander having a tubular body formed with longitudinally and radially extended roller receiving slots, the opposite endsof which terminate. in narrowed extensions, .the said slots being arranged in a plane diagonal to the longispring plate holder connected with the said tudinal plane of the rol er; of a roller and boxes and having the ends'projected beyond 10 a holder therefor for each slot comprising such boxes so that they engage the under end bearing boxes, the said boxes being oifface of the tubular body beyond the ends 5 set but in the longitudinal plane of the of the slots and a roller having center bearholder and slidably engaging the ends of ings for engaging sockets in the opposite the slots and including extensions for enbearing boxes. gaging the end extensions of the slot, a a V THOMAS J. DIXON.-

Oopies 0! thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I'atents, Washington, D. G. v 

